Capistrano Valley High gets its first performing arts center

Aug. 23, 2013

Updated Aug. 30, 2013 7:17 a.m.

1 of 8

The main theater in Capistrano Valley High School's new performing arts center boasts 450 seats. The theater has 12 speakers and state-of-the-art sound and audio technology. A refurbished baby grand piano was donated by the school's foundation. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

Construction for the new performing arts center at Capistrano Valley High School wrapped up in June and was opened for band camp on Monday, Aug. 19. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

After two years of construction, a new 27,850-square-foot , $16.4 million theater opened at Capistrano Valley High School in time for the fall 2013 semester. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

There are 31 automatic line sets on the main stage in Capistrano Valley High School's new performing arts center. The lines move theatrical scenery but primarily carry cyclorama, borders and wings, the main drape and mid-traveler. Each line can hold up to 500 pounds. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

Capistrano Valley HIgh School Instrumental Muisc Director Andy Waldukat instructs a group of marching bad members in the Instrumental and Music room of the performing arts center.

1 of 8

The black box is a 2,400-square-foot miniature theater. It will mainly be used as a classroom, but will double as a performance space. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

1 of 8

Until the opening of the new center, the mall, located near the main entrance of the high school, has been used as the performance space. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

The main theater in Capistrano Valley High School's new performing arts center boasts 450 seats. The theater has 12 speakers and state-of-the-art sound and audio technology. A refurbished baby grand piano was donated by the school's foundation. ISAAC ARJONILLA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER

Grand opening

To celebrate the opening of Capistrano Valley High School's performing arts center, Michael Giacchino, the composer who won an Oscar for Disney's "Up," will conduct students performing his music from "Star Trek" at an invitation-only gala Oct. 5.

Source: Capistrano Valley High School Foundation, Capistrano Valley High School

Grand opening

Source: Capistrano Valley High School Foundation, Capistrano Valley High School

Performing arts center

The two-story venue features:

2,700-square-foot stage

Black box theater with two dressing rooms and two restrooms

Stage craft room with automated roll-up doors and a loading dock

Digital recording room

Control booth

Catwalks

Band room with instrument storage and two practice rooms

Choral room with solar lighting, a floating ceiling and four practice rooms

Digital recording room

Source: Capistrano Unified School District

Performing arts center

MISSION VIEJO – The football team has a stadium. Now Capistrano Valley High School’s band, orchestra, choir and theater students finally boast an arena worthy of their talents.

A $16.4-million, 27,850-square-foot performing arts center with a prominent main stage, a black box theater, practice rooms, ticket booth, and high tech sound and video equipment has opened on the Mission Viejo high school’s campus after two years of construction.

The grand, main stage with three levels of seating excited the student saxophonists practicing there Thursday, but they were also giddy about the plainer details, mainly the band room’s polished concrete floor and spacious instrument storage.

Senior Ethan Kindle, of Mission Viejo, said the old storage lockers were the length of his arm span. “Now they’re bigger than my bedroom.”

He and his band mates, who were the first to use the performing center when they started summer camp Monday, said it makes them feel special and symbolizes the value school officials place on the arts.

“Before we were a classroom band, now we’re a band,” senior Madison Grant of Mission Viejo said.

Since Capistrano Valley High opened in 1978, the only performance space has been a cramped stage surrounded by student lockers and hallways in an indoor mall.

“I was kind of a little bit bitter that I wasn’t going to get to use it. But when I saw how much work went into it … when I got to see the new band room, that’s really when it hit me: This is going to be an amazing change,” said Sarah O’Connor, a saxophonist who also worked back stage for theater productions before graduating in June.

“Just the black box alone is better than what we had before,” Principal Kevin Astor said. “I feel like we’re giving (these students) what they deserve.”

The Capistrano Unified School District used grant funds and special property tax revenue to build the venue, according to district spokesman Marcus Walton. The construction contract of $11.98 million ended up over budget by $1.03 million after dozens of small changes and additions for guardrails, extra smoke detectors and wood stain for “improved aesthetics,” among other items.

Astor said the space will benefit more than the 470 or so performing arts students, a number that could grow if others are enticed by the new digs. The principal is cooking up plans for new classes in the school’s integrated science, technology, engineering and math programs.

He envisions students could be taught the physics of acoustics, and then how to produce a live show. “The sound room was built big on purpose,” Astor said.

Knowing how to operate the digital sound board would be a “big plus,” said the school district’s director of theater operations, Clark Fisher.

“If you know how to run this, you can run most of the (boards) at the smaller theaters out there,” he said.

Because of the new space, instrumental music director Andy K. Waldukat predicts a brighter future for the orchestra, which he called the best in his eight years at the high school. Based on a recording it made in March 2012, it was the only orchestra invited to perform in the spring at the California All-State Music Education Conference in Fresno.

“I’m excited to be able to put them in a real concert hall,” said Waldukat.

User Agreement

Keep it civil and stay on topic. No profanity, vulgarity, racial
slurs or personal attacks. People who harass others or joke about
tragedies will be blocked. By posting your comment, you agree to
allow Orange County Register Communications, Inc. the right to
republish your name and comment in additional Register publications
without any notification or payment.